The trial for suspected rhino poacher Robert Ndou (48) has been postponed by the regional court in Louis Trichardt until August 10 and 11. Ndou is being charged with single counts of possession of ammunition, trespassing and catching a specially protected wild animal.

When Samuel Kata of Ekland Farm heard a gunshot on November 10, 2009, he knew it was not to be ignored. He rushed to alert the farm manager, Monty van Niekerk. Van Niekerk proceeded to alert the police and members of the area farming community to forewarn them as well.

Locating the source and target of the mysterious shot would not be easy, so the search party included helicopter assistance from local businessman Brink Schlesinger.

Kata, with the help of Van Niekerk’s son, professional hunter Eugene van Niekerk, followed the tracks from two sets of mysterious footprints that led into the veld. After an exhaustive search, the pair stumbled upon Ndou, hiding under a tree.

The tracks were followed through Alldays to the location of a dead female rhino, whose value has been estimated to be approximately R500 000. Near the lifeless rhino, a calf was found and rushed to veterinary services. The horns on both the cow and calf were still intact. The calf was not physically harmed.

Along the trail was found a hat, a cell phone, a pair of shoes, a pair of socks and a set of binoculars. DNA-testing of the shoes is currently being conducted to place Ndou at the trail on the day of the incident.

When police searched Ndou’s home the following day, four rounds of ammunition were found. This included a .308, .458 and .410 round, as well as one round for a 12-gauge shotgun.

Ndou now faces a possible sentencing of up to R150 000 or 7 years in prison on the single count of catching a specially protected animal.

The name has not yet been released to identify the second set of footprints that Kata and Van Niekerk tracked in the veld.